1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to video signal processing. Specifically, the present invention relates to a structure and method for managing a video recorder.
2. The Prior State of the Art
There is often a video cassette recorder (VCR) connected between an antenna or cable system and a television set (TV). Video will only be clearly displayed on the TV through the VCR if the VCR settings (e.g., ON/OFF setting, TV/VIDEO setting, and VCR tuner channel) are correctly set. Often, manually setting the VCR can be time-consuming or confusing for the user. This confusion is compounded when a cable box is also connected between the cable system and the VCR.
Even if the user is skilled at setting VCRs and cable boxes, a television program is often timer-recorded when the user is not able to check the settings of the VCR and cable box. For example, a user might set the VCR to record a television program during the night or while the user is out of the house. In these situations, even though a user properly sets the VCR and cable box for a timer-record operation, the settings might change unexpectedly before recording. Power interruptions or human tampering, for example, might cause the setting changes.
Therefore, an apparatus and method are desired for managing a video recorder such that a clear video signal is displayed or recorded as desired.
In accordance with the invention, a computer-readable medium has computer-executable instructions for receiving an instruction to perform a function by a video system. For example, a WebTV(trademark) set top box may receive a user-entered instruction to perform the function of recording or displaying a television program. The user may issue this instruction by means of a remote control using an infrared transmitter.
The instructions also determine the status of a toggle setting of a video recorder (e.g., a video cassette recorder) within the video system. The instructions are further for ascertaining whether the toggle setting of the video recorder needs to be toggled for the video system to perform the function. For example, if the user-entered instruction is for displaying a television program, the video recorder may need to be on. If the video recorder is off, then the ON/OFF setting of video recorder needs to be toggled.
The instructions are for transmitting a toggle instruction to the video recorder if the toggle setting of the video recorder needs to be toggled to perform the function. If the video recorder is off but needs to be on to perform a display operation, a toggle instruction is sent to the video recorder to turn the video recorder on. For example, a WebTV(trademark) set top box may transmit an infrared signal representing an ON/OFF toggle instruction to a VCR.
Also in accordance with the invention, the video system is capable of determining the status of a toggle setting of a video recorder. The video system can also be capable of transmitting to the video recorder toggle instructions corresponding to the video recorder settings that need to be toggled for the video system to perform the function.
Thus, the status of the toggle settings of a video recorder is determined and toggled as needed to perform a predetermined function such as recording or displaying a television program. Thus, the video recorder is automatically set up to perform the function without requiring often frustrating and confusing manipulations of the video recorder by the user. Furthermore, if the user enters a timer-record request, the desired television program is still recorded despite intervening power interruptions or human tampering.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.